Draft-rigging.



m5. VAN BORN.

DRAFT HIGGINS.

MPLICATION HLED MAY 26, m7.

Patented Feb. 5,1911%.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H.v E. VAN norm.

DRAFT meme. APPLICATION man MAY 26. 1911.

Patented Feb. 5,1918.

3 SHEETS-*SHEET 2.

H. E. VAN norm.

DRAFT'RlGGlNG.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, I917.

rammed Feb. 5, 1918,"

3 $HEET$-$HEET 3 simple rigid supportin saddle. However,

where it desired to permit the coupler head to move up and down through a considerable distance, the yoke should contain a vertically yieldable supporting seat. In the arraiigement shown, the yoke comprises a spring box or housing adapted to lie underneath the main draw bar casting and having ears adapted to project up between and be secured to the ears 16 and 17 on the opposite sides of the latter. The spring box is preferably divided along a horizontal plane into an upper member, 19, and a lower member, 20, the latter being closed at the bottom and being secured to the member 19 by bolts, 21, or other suitable means. Within the spring box are springs, 22, resting at their lower ends in the bottom of the member 20. On top of the springs is a follower, 23, having a downwardly extending guiding flange or apron, 24, along its edge. The member 23 is provided at opposite sides with upwardly projecting ears, 25, between which extends a heavy pint-1e, 26, on which is supported a saddle, 27, which is the direct means of support for the front end of the coupler. The front and rear walls of the member 19 are provided with openings or windows, 28 and 29, respectively, into which windows the front and rear edges of the saddle 27pmject. The lower edges, or what might be --termed the sills of the windows or openings,

i coupler and the draw bar is serve as stops which limit the downward movement of the saddle. In view of the fact that the downward movement of the coupler is a swinging movement and that therefore the saddle oscillates on the supporting pintle as it moves down, the lower edge of the win- :dow or opening, 28, is carried down below the plane of the lower edge of the window or opening, 29, so that the saddle, in its inclined position, will be engaged by both of its limiting stops without bringing any part of its upper surface out of engagement with the overlying coupler shan In a sense, the spring cushion between the pivotally supported on the pin or shaft, 12, so that it will swing down out of the boxer chamber 5 unless a support were provided for the rear end thereof. In order to support the spring cushion from below, I have provided a cover plate, 30, having upwardly projecting hooked portions, 31, along the side edges; these hooked portions engaging with outwardly projecting flanges, 32, at the lower edges of the sidewalls of the housing 5. The cover plate is'placed in position by sliding it lengthwise, upon the flanges 32, these fla'ngestaking the load transmitted from the cover plate, so that'dependence need not be placed upon belts or other fastening devices for sustaining the'load. The cover plate is preferably held against accidental displacement by suitable bolts, 33, passing upwardly of my indicated at 34-, on which the follower plates rest.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the terms employed in the definitions invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a draw bar pivotally supported at its rear end for movements about a vertical axis, a coupler pivotally supported at the front end of the draw bar for movements about a horizontal axis, a spring cushion between the draw bar and the coupler for absorbing shocks in the longitudinal direction, a detachable yoke connected to the front end of the draw bar and extending underneath the coupler, and a spring cushion arranged in said yoke and supporting the coupler from below.

2. In combination, a housing, a coupler projecting into the front end of said housing, means for supporting the coupler so as to permit itto swing about a vertical axis,

a cushion device between the rear end of the the coupler in advance of the pivotal axis of the latter, and a spring cushion arranged within the yoke underneath the coupler.

3. In combination, a supporting structure, 'a coupler mounted upon said structure so as to permit the coupler head to move up and down, a spring box open at the top lying underneath the coupler and having arms extending upwardly beside the supporting structure, a spring cushion in said box for supporting the coupler, and means detachably connecting said arms to said supporting structure.

4. In combination, a draw bar, a yoke lying beneath said draw bar with its arms extending upwardly in proximity to the draw bar, means detachably connecting said arms to the draw bar, a spring cushion arranged within said yoke, a coupler extending through said yoke and resting on said cushion, and means for connecting said coupler to said draw bar so as to permit the front end of the coupler to move in the vertical direction.

5. In combination, a draw bar having laterally projecting cars at the front end thereof, a yoke underlying the draw bar and having its arms extending upwardly and attached to said cars, a spring cushion arranged within said yoke, and a con" ler resting on said spring cushion and attac ed to the draw bar so. as to be movable vertically relatively thereto,

6. In combination, a draw bar, a yoke underlying the draw bar and having its arms projecting upwardly in proximity to the same, means attaching the said arms to the draw bar, vertically yieldable springs supported by said yoke between the arms thereof, a follower resting on said springs, a rocking saddle adapted to swing about a horizontal transverse axis supported by said follower, a coupler resting on said saddle, and a piyotal connection between the coupler and the draw bar permitting the coupler to swing about an axis parallel with the aforesaid axis.

7. In combinatitih, a housing, a coupler projecting into the front end of said housing, a spring cushion in thehousing in rear of the coupler, a device extending between the rear end of the coupler and said cushion for transmitting draft and buiiing strains thereto, a horizontal connecting pin extending through the rear end of the coupler and through said device, said housing having in its side walls opposed slots elongated in the longitudinal direction, and the ends of said in projecting through said slots, and means or yieldably supporting the front end of the coupler against a downward swinging movement about said connecting pin. Y

8. In combination, a draw bar pivotally supported at its rear end for movements about a vertical axis and having at its front end a forwardly-opening chamber, a coupler extending into said chamber, a spring cushion arranged in said chamber between the rear end of the coupler and the draw bar, a detachable yoke connected to the front end of the draw bar and extending underneath the coupler, and a spring cushion arranged in said yoke and supporting the coupler from below.

9. In combination, a draw bar pivotally supported at its rear end for movements about a vertical axlsand having at its front end a forwardly-opening chamber, a coupler extending into said chamber, a spring cushion arranged in said chamber between the rear end of the coupler and the draw bar,

and means associated with the front end of the draw bar for yieldingly supporting the having in the front end thereof a chamber open at the bottom and in front, a coupler extending into said chamber, asprmg cushion arranged within the chamber between. the rear end of the coupler and the; draft member for transmitting bufling and pulling strains from the coupler to the draft member, and a yield-able support for the front end of the coupler extending across theopen bottom of said chamber.

l1; Iii combination, a housing open at the front end and on the under side, a coupler projecting into the front end of said hous mg, a spring cushionarranged Within the housing in rear of the coupler, a detachable bottom plate for supporting said spring;

cushion, a connection between said cushion and said coupler for permitting the front end of the latter to move n and down, and; a yieldable support carried by the front endpg of the housing for holding the f coupler;

raised. i '12. In a draft rigging, a spr-mg-box'closed at the bottom and at the sides and open at the top, arms projecting upwardly from two opposite sides of said box, springs arranged Within the box, a follower-resting upon said springs, and a saddle pivotally supported on said follower for movements about a. horizontal axis.

13. In a draft rigging, aspring box closed;

at the bottom and at the sides and open at the top, arms projecting upwardly from two opposite sides of said box, springs arranged within thebox, a follower resting upon said springs, a saddle pivotally supported on-said follower for nnfvements about a horizontalv axis, the front and rear sides of said box having windows therein, and 'said saddle having portions projecting into said Win-= dows and adapted to serve as stops tolimit the downward movement of the saddle.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification,

HERBERT E. VAN Donn j 

